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Every Garden has them - those spots where perennials go to die. If you’re on the verge of giving
up gardening you’ll be relieved to learn that there are perennials that actually prefer shady
locations, dry areas and those wet spots in your garden. There are even some that tolerate the
dreaded dry shade, the nemesis of many a perennial.
In the Dark: Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you and your plants cope with those
areas of the garden where the sun never seems to shine:
Look before you leap to conclusions. Observe the shady areas of your garden at all times
of the day and during different seasons. You may be surprised at how much light there
is.
Maximize the light available by keeping trees and shrubs pruned.
Plants with variegated foliage give the illusion that sun is touching their leaves, and
plants with yellow/green leaves light up a flower bed, even in the shade.
Don’t be tempted by overly aggressive plants. There are many well-behaved perennials
that prefer part or full shade. Let’s take a look at some of them.
If your shade is caused by deciduous trees, don’t forget spring flowering bulbs. There will be
enough light before the trees leaf out for snowdrops, crocus, and other early small bulbs to
flower. Hyacinths, daffodils and early tulips will also put on quite
a show.
Early flowering native wildflowers are also a good choice. Walk
through the woods in the spring and take pictures of plants in
bloom, then visit a good nursery that specializes in native plants
and go to town.
Pulmonaria is an early bloomer that thrives in part to full shade.
It is the first perennial to flower, and its pink and blue flowers
set off the yellow and white of narcissus.
Another early boomer that loves the shade is old fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocaprios
spectabilis, previously Dicentra spectabilis). With either pink or white flowers this perennial has
presence, growing up to 3ft. high and wide. Unfortunately bleeding heart dies back in the
summer, so don’t forget where it is. A relative, fringed bleeding heart, (Dicentra eximia)
continues to flower through the summer and, while it lacks the star power of the common
bleeding heart it is lovely in a woodland setting.
Brunnera is another shade loving spring bloomer. It’s often called the perennial forget-me-not
because of its intense blue flowers. Choose a variety that has silver splashed foliage and it will
continue to provide interest after the flowers are gone.
Although most ornamental grasses prefer sun, Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra)
performs well in shade. For a bit more height, try Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium lactifolia).
This grass is tolerant of any light conditions, full sun to full shade. Sedges prefer shade, and the
variegated leaves of Carex ‘Everest’ shine in the dark, making it a star in the garden at night as
well as during the day.
If you would like something unique for your garden, give Japanese Spikenard (Aralia cordata
‘Sun King’) a try. When it is established, it can reach 3 ft.
high and the same in width. The Japanese Spikenard
produces white frothy flowers on spikes in the late
summer, and its cinnamon coloured stems contrast with
the chartreuse leaves.
Japanese Spikenard
(Aralia cordata 'Sun King')
High and Dry: Is your garden in full sun for most of the day? Is your soil light and doesn’t hold
moisture? In addition to choosing the right plants for these conditions, there are a few other
things that will help:
Add compost to help your soil retain moisture.
Give your plants plenty of space to reduce competition for available moisture.
Help drought tolerant plants become established by watering regularly for the first year.
Mulch deeply to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
Drought tolerant plants have identifiable characteristics. Perennials with grey foliage, small
leaves or foliage with a fuzzy texture lose less moisture through evaporation. Russian Sage
(Perovskia atriplicifolia), Yarrow (Achillae millefolium), and Liatris (Liatris spicata) all share this
characteristic. Other examples are Lavender (Lavendule angustifolia), Catmint (Nepeta), and
Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata).
Water Water Everywhere: Is your garden located at a low point of your property? Do you have
heavy, clay soil? If so, you probably have a garden that is wet in the spring and at least moist
during the rest of the year. Improve the drainage of your soil by digging in lots of compost. If
the problem is due to the terrain and is severe, you may need to consider having the property
regraded; however, choosing moisture loving plants can turn your wet site into a beautiful
garden.
The larger spring flowering bulbs are not a
good option for wet areas, but early
blooming native wildflowers such as Spring
Beauty (Claytonia virginica) and Adder’s
Tongue (Erythronium americanum) will
provide early spring colour.
Spring Beauty Adder's Tongue
(Claytonia virginica) (Erythronium americanum)
Japanese Primrose (Primula japonica) is a good choice for the wet
spring garden. It prefers a fairly shady spot but is fine with partial
shade when it has consistent moisture. As noted above, Brunnera
macrophylla is normally a shade lover, but it is also happy in partial
shade and even full sun when it is planted in wet soil.
Siberian Iris (Iris siberica) will continue the show of flowers into early
summer. They enjoy partial to full sun and the damp conditions you
can offer. If you think of Siberian Iris as being purple or blue, you’re
Japanese Primrose in for a nice surprise, as there are a number of other colours
(Primula japonica) available, including white, yellow and various shades of pink.
There are a number of moisture loving perennials that bloom from midsummer to fall. Among
these: - Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) which gets its common name because
of its gracefully arching wands of flowers that are said to look like a flock of geese. Cardinal
Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a native plant whose bright red blooms attract hummingbirds. It
looks great planted next to its relative, Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia syphilitica).
Heart-Leaved Bergenia
(Bergenia cordifolia)
Do you get some light in your dry shade location? If so, Fish-Scale Sedum (Sedum tetractinum) is worth a
try. It is fine in part shade and, like all sedums it is extremely drought tolerant. Fish-Scale Sedum is one
of the low growing groundcover sedums. It is covered with bright yellow star shaped flowers in the
summer and, like Bergenia, its leaves turn bronze in the fall.
Choosing the right plants for the right location is key to having a garden you can be proud of, even if it
has more than its fair share of difficult areas. Be patient, don’t be afraid to experiment and, above all,
don’t give up!
If you would like a more comprehensive list of perennials to plant in difficult locations, please email us at
mggreycounty@gmail.com
Prepared by Grey County Master Gardeners for use by home gardeners and community groups.
For other use please email mggreycounty@gmail.com Mar. 2018 JC